I'll Love You 'Till Death, And Even After That
by Girls In White Dresses
Summary: Souls never remember their past life. Usually. The memories are all erased. Usually. What the heart feels and what it holds on to, no matter how faint, will shine through. Always.
1. Chapter 1

**Hmm... I'm not sure if this is AU or not. I'm back again xD and this one was a result of my over-active imagination :) Please read and review! I hope you guys like it! And if you don't, PLEASE TELL ME. **

**Disclaimer: Can't, don't, won't, and will NEVER own it.**

* * *

><p>The sky reminds me of bean soup.<p>

Murky brown, churning and bubbling with black crumbs strewn across the over-cooked clouds.

I am sometimes known as the King.

But more importantly, I am the one who watches over you. I am the one who observes the patterns in life, in which years are simply as short as days for me. I am the one who will wait for you when you are ready to let go of life. I am the one who watches the souls go by, into soul society and back to the living world where the cycle will repeat itself until the end of time. I am the one who directs my gods of death, and I am the one who has been here since the start of time, until the end of time.

I see so many things. I see the past, the present, and the future. I see the patterns in which history repeats itself. I see the cycle of souls, and the ones who burn brighter than the rest, and choose them for my death gods. You were someone else in a past life- and you will be someone else in a future life. You will never remember any of your past life's memories, thoughts, feelings. This is the absolute rule.

There have only been two people who have broken that rule.

And this is where the story starts. I am the Spirit King. I have seen countless souls, but two, and only two… broke the rule. I am not absolute. I am not all-powerful, omniscient. Perhaps I am very close, but two things-two has always been my least favourite number- have always evaded my understanding.

Fate. And, of course

Love.

Fate brought those two together again, and love brought them to remember. Once in a millennium you will see something like this. The stars and planets align, something clicks—they meet again. I watched her soul go through the cycle so many times, and watched his refusal to let go of her. I watched them meet, meet again, remember again. There are only two things that withstand the sands of time, and perhaps I will never understand. I have to say, humans will always surprise me, and the connection between those two burned brighter than all the rest.

His name was Byakuya.

Her name was Hisana.


	2. Chapter 2

The sky was as plain as a piece of bread. It was bright, blinding blue, on a windless day in October. Hanabi stood silently on the silent bridge, looking mournfully at the churning waves of black water. "I wonder…will I die if I jump?" She thought out loud. The headlines blaze in her head- GIRL HURLS HERSELF INTO DEATH – BODY FOUND IN RIVER.

She can imagine it now—the fame, the lights, the interviewers as they jostle her alcoholic mom, ask the questions "why do you think your daughter chose to take her own life? Did you neglect her?"

Her mom would be glad to be rid of her, Hanabi thought. Maybe her dirty low-life dad would too. Hanabi took a step closer to the edge of the bridge. Anything to escape this life. Maybe she would get a second chance in another life. She balanced on the edge, her feet half in the air. She readied herself to jump-

"Hey!"

A strong hand grabbed the back of her ragged dress. "Hey," the voice said again. "I think to myself, if I save this girl from killing herself, she would surely buy you dinner. Yup, that's what I thought. Hey, girl. The name is Ichijo. Great view up here. Just so you know, my favourite is fish and chips."

He had a friendly, trustworthy face, and startling hair the colour of an orange. He seemed perfectly harmless, albeit a bit loopy. There was something reassuring in those warm brown eyes of his. "Um, I'm Hanabi," she managed to force out, while still dangling from his grip. Well, he was tall, and strong, by the looks of it. "I'm sorry, I don't have any money, so I can't buy you dinner," she said, nervously eyeing him. "Oh. Well, let me be a proper gentleman and escort you home, Hanabi. You look too scrawny to make it on your own," he laughed, good-natured.

"Uh…"

He let go of her and grabbed her arm. "Let us be off!" He announced in a booming voice.

_Sereitei, 500 years after the fall of Aizen_

"This meeting is a memorial service. I shall now read out the names of the brave soul reapers who fought with Kurosaki Ichigo and defeated countless threats to Soul Society, and have worked to establish the peace we have now. They are no longer with us, and I would like you all to take a moment of silence to remember them."

"Toshiro Hitsugaya."

"Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Juushiro Ukitake."

"Zaraki Kenpachi."

"Soi Fon."

"Yoruichi Shihoun."

"Kisuke Urahara."

"Sajin Komamura."

There was a moment of silence as the captains bowed their heads.

"Rukia Kuchiki."

"Renji Abarai."

"Ikkaku Madarame."

"And, of course, we mourn the substitute soul reaper Kurosaki Ichigo, his family, and his friends. May they rest in peace. I would also like to inform you I am close to retiring. The captain commander spot will soon be open. This meeting is adjourned."

_Karakura Town, 500 years after the fall of Aizen_

"Um, thank you, Ichijo… I don't know how to repay you-"

"Tell you what! Let ME buy you some dinner! You need to fatten up!" And with that, he grabbed her and started running wildly into town.

This guy is just lonely, Hanabi thought as she tried to keep up with his long strides.

They entered a shabby, but clean, tiny restaurant. It was lit dimly with several dusty lamps. The old black and white tile pattern floor was worn and faded. They slid into a dusty booth across from each other. "Waiter or waitress!" yelled Ichijo. "Wait, I'm not ready to-"

"Hi! I'm Reika and I'll be your waitress today! Hehe! What would you like?"

They were graced with the presence of a happy, bubbly raven-haired girl with a "Chappy the Rabbit" T-shirt. Her big violet eyes sparkled merrily.

"Hey," said Ichijo. "Are you two related? You look like twins!"

"No," said Hanabi, frowning. Although, Reika looked oddly familiar… and she was nearly the splitting image of herself. "Uh… I guess I'll have the Shrimp and Chicken Carbora," she said quickly, which was the first thing on the menu. "Right! Excellent Choice! And you, sir?"

"Casu Marzu Lutefisk Pacha Balut," said Ichijo.

"Um, sir? We don't have that…" "What! Then I'll just have a diet coke," he announced, disappointed. Hanabi and Reika exchanged confused glances. "Coming right up!" said Reika uneasily and immediately fled. The food and drink arrived in a matter of mere seconds, since there was no one else in the restaurant. Reika set the plate and can down and retreated to the front counter, nervously eyeing Ichijo.

Hanabi took a cautious bite. It tasted surprisingly good. It had been a while since she had anything other than old popcorn and stale sandwiches. Ichijo leaned back in his seat. Now that she thought about it, he was actually kind of…handsome. Hanabi glanced at Reika, who was still eyeing him. "Ichijo, that waitress is _definitely _interested," she managed to whisper. "No! I am not!" yelled Reika immediately.

"Hurry up and eat! You are so slow!" exclaimed Ichijo as he grabbed the fork and shoved the rest of the shrimp and chicken in her mouth. "Gargh—g" Hanabi choked out. "They're on to me!" He glanced hurriedly at Reika. "Let's go!"

"Wait, what about the bill-"

He grabbed her and slung her like a sack of potatoes across her shoulder. "Hey! Stop right there!" screamed Reika, her voice colouring with anger. "Boss! Help me stop them! They didn't pay!"

Hanabi just had time for a quick glimpse of a boy with flashing grey eyes and a puffy chef hat on his midnight locks. "Run!" shrieked Hanabi. Ichijo banged open the door and started running for dear life, Hanabi nearly choking on the remnants of her dinner. "Get the spatula!" The boy commanded Reika as he started running after them. "Tell Rengi to take over!" He yelled. "Why didn't you pay them?" demanded Hanabi, her head banging uncomfortably against his back.

"I didn't have any money, ok?" admitted Ichijo as he started running faster, the chef still gaining on them. "What!" Hanabi screamed. "IDIOT-"

"Stop, you dirty thieves!" yelled the chef, his puffy hat gone and brandishing a shiny spatula that held an evil gleam in the light. "I, Byakkuya Koutchiki, will vanquish you in the name of justice! Reika, get the girl, I'll handle the orange-haired delinquent!"

Hanabi twisted around, lifting her head to get a good look at their pursuers. The chef glared back at her. Strange. He looked oddly familiar… a half-remembered memory that her heart had held on to.

_Don't worry. _

_I'll probably be reborn as a human, so…_

_When we meet again…_

Hanabi couldn't tear her eyes away from that grey. There was something wrong… had she met him before? Was that why…? But she couldn't recall where she had met him before.

_Hisana, when we meet again, you won't remember me. And maybe, I won't remember you._

_Don't be silly. The connection between us is stronger than flimsy memories, of course. Hearts are always stronger than minds._

Something seemed to register in those steely grey depths. "Boss… do you know that girl? And I think I've seen the carrot-top before…" Reika trailed off uncertainly. "Are they celebrities? No, probably not… Are they wanted? Or missing?"

Ichijo slowed down. "I am not a delinquent!" He yelled angrily. "Who let a couple of kids run a restaurant anyways?"

"Silence, you fiend!" Byakkuya shot back.

"Orange hair…" murmured Reika. "And the girl who looks like my twin….Ok, am I being pranked?"

"What are your names?" demanded Byakkuya.

"Ichijo!" He glared at Byakkuya. "Hanabi," she said slowly.

_One spring morning, 50 years ago, before the cherry blossoms bloomed… I lost my wife._

* * *

><p><strong>So... did you get it? :D If anything can be changed to be made clearer, tell! Haha I didn't even change Byakuya's name I just spelled it really badly :D That little review button down there is lonely... so... why don't you click it? Pretty please..?<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so soo much to everyone who reviewed! A MILLION SUNSHINE CUPCAKES! I really appreciate it, thank youu!**

**Notes: I love Rukia! I have nothing against her! (You'll see) I know she wouldn't be dumb enough to go into a dark alley when there is a murderer around... but her reincarnation is different. I'm sorry, it was needed to make the plot work :D**

**Also... Byakuya x Hisana will be the MAIN pairing. Yup, I still don't own Bleach and its characters and places.**

**Now for some...ACTION :D I hope you guys will continue reading this! Thanks again!**

* * *

><p>"You do know how to work a stove, right…?<p>

"Um… Well…"

Hanabi really didn't know how she got into this. Then again, she desperately needed the money…

"Put the pot on the stove."

"No, that's the counter!" Byakkuya sighed in frustration, giving the ceiling his signature _whydoIhavetodealwiththisidiot _look. Although, whenever they were side by side, Hanabi felt herself leaning closer, with strange visions of cherry blossoms and warmth. She couldn't help blushing whenever their hands brushed. Byakkuya's eyes softened whenever he looked at her, if ever so slightly. Like maybe _rock _instead of _steel._

Ichijo had suggested this. He had persuaded Byakkuya to let Hanabi pay off the meal by working, and then proceeded to run off somewhere. Before she had a chance to remind him that he was the one who dragged both of them into this, he had disappeared. You never knew with that guy…

This job wasn't so bad. Anything to escape the loud angry screaming of her bickering parents, the overwhelming smell of cigarettes and whiskey hanging heavily in the air in the house. They'd argue all the time- at meals, every minute, hour, day…the nights were the worst, and Hanabi sometimes wondered why Ichijo had stopped her from jumping. After all, she never even had a chance to say thank you. Each day she left early in the morning and waited around until Byakkuya came, blowing into the cool air to create puffs of fog, hanging around the tiny restaurant which had become much more of a home than that house ever could. It turned out Byakkuya had lost his parents not long ago, and had opened the restaurant by himself and found Reika begging on the streets, and had taken her in. That was something to be admired for, and Hanabi often wondered what went on behind those calm grey eyes.

Her life had at least a purpose in it, a small purpose, but seeing Byakkuya obsess over tomatoes always brought a little smile to her face… she hadn't smiled for such a long time that it felt foreign, a language long forgotten; but each day curving the corners of her mouth upwards became easier, and soon she had recognized the shapes and the colours of the language once again.

Still, Hanabi couldn't place her finger on where she had met Byakkuya before. He seemed so familiar—why couldn't she remember?

"Um, Byakkuya…" she began. "Have we met before?"

"No, I—" He stopped himself. "Put the chopped carrots in the stew," He hurriedly said, turning away.

_Kuchiki Manor, 500 years after the fall of Aizen_

"Hey, where does that door lead to?"

"It's Byakuya Kuchiki's wife's room," answered a squat, balding man with robes the colour of mold.

"_THE _Byakuya Kuchiki?"

"Well, duh. Who else?"

"Whoa, the ice cube had a wife? Can I go into her room?" The man asked excitedly.

"No. We moved her shrines there. He ordered for it to be left untouched. We have to respect his wishes. No one is allowed to go in there."

"But… no one will know! And besides, aren't you curious?"

"Not especially." The man turned, his arms full of boxes, and walked briskly away. The younger man glanced at the locked door, his eyes roaming back and forth. He made sure no one was looking, and, producing a hairpin out of his pocket, he ran to the door and proceeded to pick the lock.

_Click._

The door swung open with a dusty creak. He walked carefully inside, the floorboards squeaking.

She smiled serenely at him, the portrait faded and long forgotten. No one had visited this shrine for quite a long time. Her violet-blue eyes gazed sadly at him, as she smiled the smallest smile he had ever seen and yet strangely mesmerizing. He walked closer, and wiped some of the dust off the portrait. In doing so, his hands ran over a bump that interrupted the smoothness of the picture. Strange. He glanced around quickly, uneasily. There was no one there.

He couldn't help being curious.

He took the portrait off its stand carefully, stirring up dust, and took the back of the frame off. Inside was a small, folded note with yellowed paper.

_Karakura Town_

Reika walked down the street, a basket in her hand, as the street vendors cried out at her. She stopped at a particular one, and picked up a shiny red tomato the size of her fist. "Freshest in the market," said a young boy, nodding at her with bright eyes. "Cool! I wonder what the police are doing here!" He exclaimed, looking past her. "Police..?" Reika repeated. She turned around, dropping the tomato, which landed with a soft thump on the pile.

A young woman with reddish-orange hair tied in a bun, wearing the strict navy blue of a police uniform was posting WANTED posters on buildings and sign posts.

WANTED

Reward: $100 000

Reika was too far away to make out the rest. She walked towards the officer, her basket dangling from her arm. "You! Girl!" The police officer barked at her. "My name is Takahime Inoue! You probably got this in school, but be careful of this man, he tends to target young girls like yourself. He is a murderer! If you encounter him, run away immediately and call the police! Here is his picture-"

"JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH!" The woman screamed shrilly, startling Reika.

She lowered her voice to a hoarse whisper. "That's him! I just saw him!" Takahime Inoue hastily pulled out a phone-like device. "This is 1204! Reinforcements needed immediately! Case number 15 spotted!"

A girl screamed.

Takahime Inoue ran off, pulling a shiny revolver from the pocket on her hip. Police sirens began to flare up, and a squad of navy-blue clad officers streamed out of cars. The same girl who had screamed began to panic, and flail around wildly. She ran to the vendor with the fresh tomatoes and began destroying the pile, rolling the tomatoes into the alleys of buildings. "Hey!" the boy yelled. "Calm down!" Reika, without thinking, walked quickly to retrieve a tomato that had rolled into the alley. Once in the alley, she spotted something strange.

A shadow among shadows- something that shouldn't be there. A freezing sensation, like she could feel death already creeping up on her.

Reika had no time to react. The icy metal of a cold blade was pressed hard against her bare neck. "Bye, Reika," a chilling voice whispered. "Nothing personal. At night, on the streets, not too long ago, you said you wanted to die. I'm granting that wish for you." Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She recognized that voice.

"You…!" she managed to choke out, struggling to escape, struggling to breathe, struggling to live…

The shock of seeing _him _rendered her body useless. _Move! _She screamed inside her head.

"You're welcome…" the voice sent shivers down her back, her mind refusing this fate and yet her heart already knowing.

The mysterious murderer of Karakura Town had struck again.

_Kuchiki Manor_

The Kuchiki servant unfolded the note, slowly, delicately. The paper was so old, crinkling loudly when unfolded and smoothed out. Only two words were there, with black ink hastily scribbled in a shaky hand.

_Help me._


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to all my reviewers! You are so nicee! I cannot thank you enough! Thank you to my readers too! I'd like to answer some questions :D**

_**TheCatWithTheHat: **_**Yes, Reika is dead :'( And yes, that was Orihime. And yes! You are absolutely right. But since Ichigo and Orihime have normal human life spans, I'd like you to think that they already went through the cycle. So, they died in the living world, went to soul society, but died there as well and have been reincarnated back into the living world. Because Hisana died so early, she's been through the cycle lots of times and has been reincarnated lots of times. Thank you for pointing that out! I probably wouldn't have noticed...and...no. The murderer isn't Aizen :D but that was a good guess...**

**Other notes: Byakkuya is not a noble... not this time.. and since this is set 500 years into the future, Karakura Town will be different. But don't expect flying hovercrafts or robots to be in the spotlight... But Byakkuya is of the very few who can still cook with his own hands, and not have to use instant meal tablets or robot help. OK... I'm probably not making any sense. I'd also like you to know that there is no school, it doesn't exist anymore :)**

**Also! I will be EXTREMELY impressed if anyone can guess who the murderer is. EXTREMELY. And you might get a prize! Hint: He/she is a Bleach character.**

* * *

><p>As I watched Reika's soul go by, it burned, angrily, at so unfair of a death.<p>

Reika didn't get to grow up, didn't get to warn Hanabi, and didn't get to live. I watched. Souls are soft but cold, and they have so many different colours. I have seen ones that glow dimly, and ones that are completely dull and lifeless. But the ones that truly _burn, _casting off light in such brilliance- they are the ones that I watch. I watched Reika's soul detach from her body, and walk with anguish, pale and colourless yet burning brightly.

_I didn't want to die…_It will not be long before one of my death gods find her, cut the chain, and send her off to Soul Society, where I will wait for her. She didn't want to die- but, for only a very few will death come when they want it to. This murderer. I watch him, too. I know of his ignorance, his avarice, his cruelty, and most of all, his sorrow. You will find, fair reader, that no humans will ever be of one colour. This world is neither black or white, for we tread in many shades of grey. No human will ever be purely good or purely evil, for it will always be a mix of each other, fighting with each other. That is what makes them so interesting.

Let me explain one thing.

The wall.

Karakura Town is split into two, the rich and the poor. It was done because too many of the rich would cause chaos, and too many of the poor would cause desolation. There is a wall that separates them, a silent, cold stone wall that is impenetrable. And in the middle of the wall, right smack in the middle, is a building. It is the highest building in the town. It rules over everything, and the people there are unknown, just shadows. They govern over everything and make sure everything and everyone is controlled, that the rich do not become too rich, and the poor to never become too poor. There is some measure of peace, I suppose. There has not been a war for so long that many have forgotten what it is.

However, the wall was built almost solely of having the means to control the people.

Half of the building is on the poor side, and half of it is on the rich side. They people of the rich and poor side are completely separated. They will never cross the wall, and it is strictly forbidden. Each have their own police, their own hospitals, their own stores. The people are content—they do not seek anything, because they have never known there was anything to seek. They live in comfort, in ignorance. Our heroine of the story, Hanabi, on the poor side, will get the rare opportunity to see the rich side.

* * *

><p>It was snowing, the world blanketed in white and the snowflakes swirling peacefully to the ground. The first snowfall of the year, in November. Everything looked beautiful and tranquil.<p>

The funeral was a quiet one. Reika had no relatives. Her last name was unknown. She was buried in the local cemetery. Hanabi silently berated herself for not asking for a way to contact Ichijo.. a phone number, anything. He had disappeared, but perhaps it would not have mattered anyway. Ichijo barely knew Reika, and yet the brief exchanges they had shared gave the impression that they had been good friends.

Afterwards, everything seemed unreal. Hanabi's fragile feeling of peace had been shattered. They continued work at the restaurant, but business was slow, which was a good thing because Reika was no longer there. She was _gone, _nothing but a vacant chair and no one to buy tomatoes.

"Byakkuya," she said. "I'm going to find the murderer."

He looked at her with the eyes of an old man. None of them expected this. The police were all over, yet none of them had any idea to the murderer's true identity. Hanabi had a clue. It was a membership card to _The Red Piano, _a high class club. She had found it on the ground, where the police had overlooked, and where Reika had been attacked, so it was most likely the property of the murderer. The card was simply a flat piece of paper, but Hanabi clung onto it, refusing to give up, while Byakkuya looked at her sadly with eyes filled with hurt and sorrow.

"Reika didn't deserve to die," she whispered, pleading, looking into the depths of those grey eyes that remained blank.

"_The Red Piano _isn't here, so it must be on the other side of the wall," he said, his voice flat, defeated.

"There is a way to the other side through the building in the middle," answered Hanabi, refusing to give up. "If the murderer found a way through, we can too. If you won't go, I'll go alone."

"Hanabi-san, Byakkuya-san!"

It was Takahime Inoue, the police officer who had seen Reika minutes before her murder. "Nice restaurant you've got here!"

"Uh, Inoue-san," began Byakkuya. "Would we be able to see a picture of the murderer?"

The officer glared at him. "No! Last night someone stole into our files and erased all the pictures we had of him, and also took down all the posters," she said angrily, obviously frustrated. "And besides, we're sure he has different disguises. But, we'll catch him soon. You don't need to worry."

_See? _Byakkuya stared at Hanabi. _Give the card to the police, and let them handle it. _

The conversation was interrupted by a loud buzzing.

"Yes, this is 1204. What is it?"

"_What?"_

Hanabi and Byakkuya exchanged worried glances.

"What happened to the police around that area? Don't tell me he got away AGAIN! Listen! LISTEN TO ME! He killed two this time!" Takahime was practically screaming.

"I'll be there with reinforcements right away!" she screeched, distressed.

She replaced the phone-like device back into her pocket. "You need to stay here," she warned Hanabi, her voice tense with strain. "You may be the next target."

Both of their eyes asked her the same thing.

_Who is it?_

The police officer sighed, a long drawn out sigh that reflected all the despair. She looked at Hanabi, sadly, pitying, her eyes saying _I'm sorry._

"_Your parents_. Found dead in the house."

* * *

><p>She refused to believe it, at first. Takahime left, her big grey eyes still regarding Hanabi with pity. Hanabi's house would soon be a crime scene, covered in yellow CAUTION tape.<p>

"_No…_"

Hanabi ran outside, into the freezing cold world. "Hanabi!" Byakkuya yelled. "What do you think you're doing? Get a jacket or you'll freeze to death!"

But Hanabi didn't care. She just wanted to escape. Her _parents. _Dead.

No.

_Gone._

Forever…

The tears on her cheeks froze immediately in the freezing cold air, and she started to shiver violently. Even so, she fell on her knees, into the soft snow. The hot tears cascaded down her cheeks, but began to freeze, icicles forming on her eyelashes and vertical lines of ice on her cheeks. She remembered Reika's happy, bubbly personality, and her smiling face. There was something there, in the deepest part of her heart. There it was. A feeling like Reika…had been… her sister. And all the grief came crashing down upon her like a great raging current, all the tears she held back…

She was all alone now. Alone. Her parents, gone. Even if they had done nothing but scream at each other, they were still her parents, and in the past, they had smiled, and held both of her hands while swinging her around underneath a cherry blossom tree. Cherry blossoms… Strangely, she felt something else, underneath all that grief. Recognition… She had met Byakkuya before…

"_Hanabi!"_

Hanabi didn't want to think anymore. She closed her eyes, the cold seeping through to the bone, making her cold, freezing…

The world turned into a hazy blur, and it slowly dimmed until it was pitch black.

_Byakuya-sama, why did you pick me? There were a lot of other girls, of noble birth…._

_They could never compare to you. I love you… I promise you, I'll love you 'till death, and even after that…_

Byakkuya took off his jacket and wrapped it around the kneeling figure in the snow, her tear tracks glowing in the half-light. "I'll find the murderer… and I'll protect you, so that you won't ever cry again," he murmured, as he lifted Hanabi up, bridal style, towards the tiny, dusty restaurant. Not just a shabby restaurant—

_Home._

Hanabi awoke to a ceiling. Everything came flooding back to her. She sat up, feeling dizzy. She was warm. Thick blankets were piled on top of her. Byakkuya sat in the chair next to her, staring off into space with an expression impossible to read. He noticed her and immediately jumped up and disappeared. He reappeared with a bowl of steaming soup and a spoon. He handed it to her, the eyes soft and a trace of worry in them.

She took the bowl. There was a silence. He had saved her from freezing. In fact, he had saved her from many things. He gave her a place she could call home, a friend to talk to, something to look forward to everyday. She wanted to tell him all that, but couldn't find the words.

Instead, she scooped some soup with her spoon and brought it to her lips. It was pleasantly hot, and filled her with a warm feeling. He made this for her. He took the time… Hanabi's eyes welled up with tears. That's right, she told herself. You were never alone.

Byakkuya noticed, as he was silently observing her.

"Don't cry, Hanabi. I…I hate it when you're sad. I hate it when you get hurt, too."

She looked up at him. Right now, she could only think of two words to say.

"Thank you…"

She tried to put a lot of unsaid things in those two words, and perhaps he understood them, for when Hanabi concentrated on gulping down the soup with gusto, she didn't see the smile on his face.

* * *

><p><strong>Don't worry! I didn't forget about the servant in the Kuchiki Manor :D hope you liked this chapter! It's looong, but hope you enjoyed! Guess who the murderer will be after next? *dramatic music*<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**MIDTERMS. **

**NO.**

**On top of that, a really long and boring assignment (timeline, ew), tests, just tedious worksheets, debate, and also...**

**CHINESE NEW YEAR! DUMPLINGS! YAy! YearC'M of the dragon :) its Jan. 23rd, which is tomorrow! :D**

**Updates will be very few and far in between :( but I'll definitely try for a chapter per week. Q & A time!**

**_splitheart1120: _...No comment. Heh heh... *awkward laugh***

**_Bleached Pikachu: _Hahahah. Thank you! Yes, I like killing people. (that came out the wrong way...) Yeah! This story is definetly something new, I guess I needed a change of pace... but character death and angst still are my favourite xD Don't worry, though. This one will have a happy ending. Or, at least happier than my other ones... Thank you so much! Glad that you like it! :)**

**_LadyfromOuterspace: _No! You disabled your PM :( but anyways, it was episode 355, I think. BYAKUYA GIVES RUKIA HISANA'S KIMONO AWW AW AW! ANYONE ELSE WATCHED IT! C'MON MORE BYAHISA! Thanks a billion for the tips and reviews and EVERYTHING! Yay! Oh, and no, all good guesses, but nope...**

**_ZoZo1770: _Thank you! Nope, not Mayuri. For all I know he could be a florist selling roses :)**

**_TheCatWithTheHat: _Haha, thank you! Keep reading and you'll find out... *suspenseful music***

**Okay, if anyone has read my first fanfic "Hope" it has this guy named Kazuki in it. His reincarnation(s) appears here too. **

**Once again, thank you so much arigatou gonzaimasu to my readers and reviewers!**

* * *

><p>It was quiet.<p>

Too quiet.

"Where are the guards?" Hanabi whispered, creeping along the stone steps with caution. The silence was suffocating.

"I don't know, they must have assumed no civilian would come here," he whispered back.

The stairs were seemingly endless, spiraling upwards for who knows how long. It was like being inside a giant, round pepper pot. Byakkuya led, Hanabi trailing behind him, anxiously glancing around, and jumping at small sounds.

Obviously, they weren't supposed to be here. If they were caught…Hanabi didn't want to think about it. She hoped that it was worth it, that they could find out who the murderer was. She focused on each stair step, one at a time, putting each foot forward slowly, trying to see the bright side of this.

_Kuchiki Manor_

"I vote we should get rid of that wench's shrines. _He's _gone, so there's no one to stop us. Besides, we need to obliterate all possible evidence. This has been passed down to us and is our job to keep it safe." He lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper.

"If they ever find out…"

The elders nodded and bowed their heads, scratchy whispers echoing in the large meeting room.

"Kazuki! Get your head out of the clouds and come help me!"

The Kuchiki servant hastily shook himself out of his thoughts and grabbed the broom. His eyes slid to the closed door at the end of the hallway. The note.

"Um, I'm just curious, but, Byakuya Kuchiki's wife… Can you tell me more about her?"

"Huh?" the old man regarded the younger man with suspicion. "Well, her name was Hisana. You probably heard that she was from Rukongai and a disgrace to the Kuchiki name. In fact, their marriage was a huge scandal."

He nodded at this. "I mean… what was she like, personality wise?"

The man scowled and glared, his flinty brown eyes flashing. "I've heard that she was never happy here. I've heard she never loved Byakuya Kuchiki. And I've heard that when she got sick, she could have gotten better, but instead she resigned herself to her fate. She wanted to die."

Kazuki dropped his broom, which landed with a loud _clack _on the polished hardwood floor. "What…?" He barely managed to whisper. But the older servant was already walking away, whistling tunes under his breath and hefting his broom like a sword.

"You hear lots of interesting things when you eavesdrop on the elder's meetings, you know."

* * *

><p><em>Karakura Town, inside the grand building, almost on the other side of the wall<em>

"Uh…Hanabi? We're at the top, you know." He looked on appraisingly as her foot met thin air. She straightened quickly, trying to hide her embarrassment. There were several doors in front of them.

"Um… should we split up?" Hanabi asked. "Definitely not. We wouldn't be able to find each other after."

"SQUAWK!"

Something landed roughly on top of Hanabi, its talons digging into her head. "Ahhhh! Get it off me!" She whispered angrily, restraining herself from screaming.

"HI HI! I'M YACHIRU! WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"

Byakkuya tried desperately to swat the flailing mass of feathers off of Hanabi's head.

"OOH! A PONYTAIL!" The parrot-like creature detached itself and flew over to Byakkuya, grasping his ponytail and pulling on it tightly. He looked like he was in deep pain, but suddenly the bird withdrew and landed gracefully on Hanabi's shoulder. "Mistress! " Croaked the bird in its odd, squeaking voice.

"Um..?" She glanced at the bird, and it stared back at her with a cold yellow eye. It shook itself and began preening its feathers.

"TAKE THE ONE ON THE FAR LEFT," squawked the bird. Hanabi proceeded to walk towards that door. She was stopped. "What if it's a trap! A bird isn't reliable!"

Her look told him, _What have we got to lose? _And she turned the cold doorknob of the door. It creaked open slowly. Byakkuya followed her, and he couldn't help admiring her courage.

"Kill the body, cut the body, eat the body, wash the blood off of your mouth," croaked the strange bird.

The room was dimly lit, and small, and at the far wall was only one door. Hanabi and Byakkuya exchanged knowing looks, and as they reached it, she grasped the door knob and turned.

It was a man.

"Rengi…?" Byakkuya forced out, a look of utter surprise plastered on his face.

"Boss!"

Another man stepped out of the shadows, carrying a stack of papers. Bright orange hair that stuck out in all directions.

Ichijo.

He dropped the papers, and they landed on the ground, a dry rustle and crinkling. Rengi seemed to notice Hanabi for the first time. "What is this? Am I dreaming? Is it really you, Hanabi? Wow, you've grown up…"

He turned on Ichijo. "This was the girl you were talking about, then?"

Hanabi stared in confusion. What on earth were they talking about? She glanced at Byakkuya, and he appeared equally, if not more, confused than she was. "Yeah," mumbled Ichijo, his eyes downcast.

"What-what's going on?" Asked Hanabi, her voice folding up with confusion.

"I'd like to know that as well," stated Byakkuya as he glared at both of them.

The two men nodded at each other. They bowed low, in front of Hanabi, and in unison, chorused, "It is an honor to serve you, princess of Karakura Town, next in line for the throne to control and regulate the rich and the poor, Hanabi-sama."

"_Welcome home_," the parrot-like bird croaked, amusement in its yellow eyes. It made a sound similar to laughing.

* * *

><p><strong>Yachiru is a parrot. Haha, anyone noticed the "j" in Renji's name, and the "g" in Ichigo's name have been switched? Rengi, Ichijo? Haha! :D Well... Its almost 11 pm and there is school tomorrow... stay tuned! :) <strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY BYAKUYA! I LOVE YOU! **

**This chapter is kind of short :P but I didn't want to keep anyone waiting and also... I just had to publish something on BYAKUYA'S BDAY! SCREAM!**

**Omg, you guys! thanks so much for reviewing! :D I really appreciate it! I don't have any homework this week! HIP HIP HOORAY!**

**_Bleached Pikachu: _Hahaha :) Woah, Kenpachi as a lion? That's a really good idea actually :) I'll probably incorporate it in later. Oh... yeah... they're just friends :P Of course... Haha! Wait till you see what I have in plan for them *EVIL LAUGH* I know! I love Gin! I love Gin x Rangiku! So tragic :) yay. But no, it isn't Gin OR hollow ichigo. I don't even know if hollow ichigo would get reincarnated or not :D**

**_TheCatWithTheHat: _Are you okay...? Breaking vases is not the answer! It never is!**

**Thank youuu ! Peace out!**

* * *

><p>A princess.<p>

Not a friend, a _princess._

A strange look crossed over his face, and he turned away. Hanabi stared after him, his back to her. "Yes, I'll explain everything later," mumbled Ichijo. He took Hanabi by the arm and began dragging her away. "First, we'll need to get you new clothes..."

"Wait!" She struggled. "I don't want this! Give the position to someone else! What other things haven't you told me?"

"Hanabi," Byakkuya finally spoke. "Just settle down and be a good princess."

"_What?" _She nearly screamed at him. "Don't-"

"No!" He yelled back at her. "This is your chance for a good life, out of danger, out of hardships, so I don't have to see you get hurt! I hate it when you get hurt!"

She was speechless.

Later she would try to come up with things, anything, that might have made the events turn out differently. How many times has it been now that she wishes she could turn back time, go back, _beg _even, do anything at all, so that it might have not turned out that way in the end…

If she had known what would happen later on, if he had known, if they had all known… but no, they did not know, that the murderer was right there in the room with them.

Byakkuya waited until they weren't looking, and ran, trying to keep his footsteps light and quiet. It really was strange how there were no other guards…. But his mind was full of thoughts of a certain long lost princess. He had walked on, until he reached the steps, and began to run down them, two at a time, and his thoughts burned with loneliness and agony.

The buildings were so strange, twisted and impossibly tall, brightly coloured and neon signs flashing everywhere. This was Karakura Town? It dazzled him, blinded him, scared him as he stumbled through the alien town.

He spent hours looking for the bar, and it was not until 9:00 pm that he finally saw it, exhausted and weary, the bright neon sign advertising _The Red Piano. _There was a large picture of a red piano and a black kitten sleeping on top of it. The building had large windows, but covered by black shutters, and the place had an eerie feeling similar to that of a haunted house.

He approached tentatively, too late to turn back now, and he pushed open the cold glass door. Silence blanketed the air.

The strange people stared at him, their gazes hostile and cold, and some were missing an eye, others an arm, or perhaps a leg, or perhaps limbless.

But they were all dressed immaculately, in clean white suits and bowties and neatly combed hair.

The bartender, missing a nose, stood dissolving instant food and drink tablets. Waiters, or maybe servants, bustled around bearing silver platters of little delicate triangular sandwiches filled with strange ingredients Byakkuya couldn't identify. Silence. There was no music.

Just

Silence.

"It's him!" Someone suddenly screamed, shattering the thick silence, popping it like a bubble. "GET HIM!"

Byakkuya backed away so quickly he nearly tripped over his own legs. He banged open the door and ran outside into the snow. "Give me back my child!" A crippled woman screamed.

"DIE!"

Before he could so much as move a muscle, they were on to him, screeching and screaming and shrieking and yelling and tearing at his clothes, his hair, his face, everything.

Byakkuya managed to get the membership card out of his pocket and held it in front of him, like a shield.

They stopped, just like that, like a machine that had been turned off with one press of a button. A toothless old man missing both of his arms smiled with his sickening pink gums. "Oh, boss! So did you kill her yet? Rengi told us you made contact with her. Don't forget to bring the body."

_Kuchiki Manor_

"KAZUKI! YOU IDIOT! DON'T USE A DIRTY CLOTH TO WIPE A TABLE!"

"Oh…"

The elder man slapped his palm to his forehead. "For heavens sake, there's a guest here, and a soul reaper, too!"

_Elders meeting room_

"Thank you very much for letting me have dinner here," he said.

"Not at all. So you are being put in charge of Karakura Town?" One of the elders asked.

"Yup, I'm going to replace Tachi, who died mysteriously barely a week ago…"

If you listened closely enough, you might have heard the barely audible giggle the elders shared.

_The poison worked._

"Oh my! Please, do have some more, uh, tea…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you sooo sooo much for all the kind reviews! They make me so happy :D you rock my socks! :D**

**Okay, so in this chapter the murderer will be revealed (gasp) and no, its not Rengi OR Byakkuya :) *hint hint nudge nudge* Haha, I really like making my characters undergo painful internal struggles and misfortune :D **

**Hopefully you'll understand everything at the end of this chapter and hopefully you'll pick up on the hints in here *hint hint nudge nudge***

**I will probably leave this story for about two weeks or so, because school is being really mean right now... and I have a bunch of ideas for other stories that just won't leave me alone! :P**

**This story is about 2 quarters and an eighth finished! I think...**

**Something I forgot: The character Ichijo does NOT have any affiliation with the character Ichijo from Vampire Knight.**

**P.S I have a cold *sniffle* **

* * *

><p><em>Karakura Town<em>

Perfect.

No

One

Would

Ever

Suspect

Him.

_Perfect._

Hanabi restlessly picked at the expensive silk kimono wrapped around her. It was suffocating, layers and layers of silk. It felt like she was a caterpillar stuck in an overlarge chrysalis.

Her unruly raven hair had been tamed, sprayed with gallons of hair spray and piled up on her head in an intricate hair style, stiff and uncomfortable.

Yachiru the parrot circled over her head, loudly squawking nonsense.

"Let's chop off his head!"

Hanabi resisted the urge to slam her head on the fancy marble desk. She hated this. She didn't want this.

"Hanabi-sama! Good news! The murderer has been caught!"

This caught her attention. Had Byakkuya done it without her? And she felt a twinge of anger, but mostly she just felt sad. She wanted things to go back to the way things were, mixing ingredients in that little dusty shop. She didn't want _this, _responsibilities, people forcing her to look a certain way, act a certain way, tell her she was born for this, that she was better than everyone else.

It seemed everything had started with the mysterious murderer. She hated him, or her, whoever it was, for taking away her sense of happiness, fragile though it was.

"We would like you to hold a public execution in the rich side, and have people spread the word to the poor side. That way, he will be an example, and no one will ever have the guts to defy the law again. We'll also make sure no one can ever cross over to a different side."

Ichijo seated himself next to her.

"Let's chop off his head!" the parrot squawked again, before settling on Hanabi's shoulder.

"Who is it…?" Hanabi asked. She had a strange feeling of apprehension, of fear, of already knowing which name would come out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect it either. But there's hard evidence," he said.

She waited.

"Byakkuya," he forced it out, looking pained.

The world ended. Almost. She stared at nothing, didn't say a word. Ichijo watched her carefully.

"We had an eyewitness and a police officer saw him. He was spotted going into the _Red Piano, _a place that has been under suspicion for months. He was called "boss." We investigated his restaurant and discovered a hidden cupboard with knives inside. And since he's killed 6 people so far, 6 knives were missing."

Hanabi continued to remain silent, her eyes wide and her mind already accepting it, but there was just _no way._

"The police apprehended several of his accomplices, and they have all said the same thing. He's the murderer, and you're his next target. Think about it. He works in the shadows. He got close to you, just so you wouldn't suspect him. Same with Reika. The police interrogated Rengi and he also confessed that Byakkuya was the murderer. Rengi's being held in custody. "

No. It just wasn't possible. "But he was in the restaurant when Reika was killed. And he was with me when my parents were killed. I was there!" Hanabi struggled with her voice, trying to control the anger and sadness and betrayal and flat out disbelief inside her.

Ichijo looked at her with pity. "He has many accomplices, after all, his home base is the _Red Piano. _Anyone of them could have killed them. It was all so you wouldn't suspect him."

"I'm sorry, Hanabi, I know this is hard for you to accept, but-"

"When is the execution?" She asked quietly. He looked surprised, but quickly answered.

"Well, it's up to you to decide, but March 28th would be a good time. The cherry blossoms will be beautiful. "

Hanabi stared at him. She didn't know what to believe anymore. What was wrong with the world?

"Of course, it is up to you to choose the method of torture-"

Hanabi ripped off the expensive delicate hair ornaments from her hair and threw them forcefully on the ground, metal clacking and gold and silver gleaming. She stood up, and Yachiru the parrot squawked in fear, taking hurried flight to the air. Her hair was sticky and uncomfortable and the layers and layers of heavy silk were suffocating her to death and

"It's not true!" She screamed at him. "You act as if choosing the method of torture for Byakkuya is as light and nice as discussing the weather but it's not true! I know it's not, he couldn't be the murderer! There is just no way! I don't know who you are at all and I don't know who I am-"She was close to shrieking, razor sharp metal in her voice and hair and clothes dishevelled.

People dressed in all black suddenly came out of the shadows, slender, lithe forms like the shadows. "Restrain her!" Ichijo commanded, and two of them grabbed each of Hanabi's arms, as she struggled against the crushing pressure. "Let go of me!" Hanabi screamed.

Adrenaline coursed through her. She had never been this angry in her life. Her vision blurred. The last thing she saw was Ichijo stalking away, his face angered. The last thing she felt was pure rage, and the cold skeletal hands of shadows smothering her. And the last thing she heard was the ever growing faint voice of Ichijo, saying

"I'm this close! She can't find out, lock her up until-"

And then the world went black.

Byakkuya was dragged, blindfolded and a dirty rag stuffed in his mouth. He nearly gagged from the awful taste. "Where arf youah twakfing meh," he tried to speak through the gag, stumbling along in a world gone black. He had been standing and staring at the strange people when suddenly the lights went out and rough hands raked at him. What in the world was going on?

_Kuchiki Manor_

"Yeah, he's dead."

"That was fast-acting poison…."

"Should we have really…..maybe we went too far-"

"No!" His face contorted with rage. "It was all because of _her _that the Kuchiki Clan is like this! Where did our clan's dignity and nobility go? Now our family is polluted with _filth_!" He spat, raising a fist.

Everyone went quiet.

"March 28th," he said, calmer, regaining the crafty glint in his eyes. "A month from now we'll make sure that she never remembers, and that they'll never meet again."

Kazuki's eyes widened and he pressed his hand to his mouth, stifling a gasp.

_Karakura Town, grand building, underground prison_

The dust was thick as fur on the cold cement ground. Hanabi was pushed roughly into a cell, and the doors made out of cold vertical bars slid shut with a rusty grinding noise.

She coughed, her eyes watering. Finally, she could see. But her surroundings weren't much to look at. It was a barren wasteland of cold, unyielding cement, hard and freezing beneath her. The light was dim and dirty, and dust was everywhere.

She was surrounded by thick metal bars, like a cage for animals. There was no escape in sight. Her eyes adjusted to the dim gloom. There was a lion in the cell across from her, but it looked defeated and worn out, its once gleaming golden coat scuffed and dirty. Its cloudy golden eyes glared at her, with menace and hate, but with an underlying tone of sadness.

"Hi!"

Yachiru the parrot squawked loudly, and with a terrifying cackle-like noise landed inside the lion's cell. Hanabi half expected the parrot to be reduced to feathers, but the lion simply stared at the parrot.

_She's small enough to fit in between the bars, _noted Hanabi. The beginnings of a plan formed in her head. Her eyes landed on the small keyhole that would open the lion's cell. It was safe to assume that she also had a small keyhole on the outside of her cell. Hanabi strained her eyes, and sure enough, there it was, a tiny silver key hanging innocently beside the door which led to the stairs.

So close, but so far.

Hanabi regarded Yachiru the parrot. "Um, Yachiru," she began. The parrot took no notice. "See that shiny thing over there? Why don't you get it?"

"That parrot won't do anything for you, idiot."

Hanabi nearly jumped out of her skin. She was afraid to turn around, her insides squirming with fear. The cell beside her had a shadow in it, with glowing eyes. "You sure are stupid, if you haven't figured it out by now."

The shadow turned its head, and the red hair caught the light so that it looked like fire. "I have," Hanabi replied, realizing who it was. "It's not Byakkuya-"

"How are you so sure about that? Your mind understands the logic, but maybe it's just your heart that prevents you from seeing the truth." His words, Hanabi realized, had a double meaning. She searched her mind for the words.

"It's just… even though I've only known Byakkuya for 3 months… I feel like I've known him for far longer than that. You can call me stupid, but I've chosen to listen to my heart."

The shadow fell silent for a minute.

"Then you know." It was not a question, but a statement. Hanabi smiled. "Considering I'm here, and you're here, the answer would be yes. There isn't any other explanation, and I think I've always known who it was."

Rengi smiled back. "I'm going to die here anyway, so I might as well tell you. The murderer is the person who didn't come to Reika's funeral, the one she was staring at because she had seen the posters, the one who was the former head of the police force, and the reason why there were no guards when you came in with Byakkuya. The person who blackmailed me and who so cleverly placed the blame on Byakkuya. He's the last person that anyone would ever suspect. The murderer is-"

"Ichijo," Hanabi finished the sentence.

_The question is, how are you going to prove it?_

* * *

><p><strong><em>HEHEHEH <em>*Evil laugh* Please don't kill me :( In my defense, Ichigo can't be good all the time! Also, was this chapter too long? Because I'm really concerned whether or not people reading this will be bored out of their minds. Anyways... Bleach is in its final arc NOOOO! D: *sneezing fit* Sometimes I really hate Canada's weather. Please review, and I hope to be back in two weeks! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**This would have been up way earlier if hadn't had problems with the login! Also if I hadn't been spending most of my free time re-watching episodes of Bleach and gushing over Byakuya ;D he is sooo awesome! **

_**ZoZo1770: **_**Thanks for reviewing! :D Yeah! Bleach is ending... :( the new arc seems REALLY scary! I won't spoil it for you but... I hope Byakuya gets alot of spotlight in the arc! Because Byakuya is epicness ;) **

**_TheCatWithTheHat: _Thank you for reviewing too! I hope its a long arc too! I don't want it to end! :'( Haha... what do you mean none of the fullbringers were attractive? Appearance wise or personality wise? Or maybe both? :P**

**_Splitheart1120: _I sent you a pm, I hope it made sense :) Arigatou for the review! **

**_LadyfromOuterspace: _sorry nothing to say to you... *throws tomato* :D haha thank you too!**

**I can't express my thanks enough peoples! Thanks for reviewing and/or reading! **

**And yes I see the plot holes in the story... read my profile? Because I'll be explaining some stuff there. Now for some action! **

* * *

><p>She talked in her sleep.<p>

In the dead of night he would hear soft whispers, barely audible murmurs that washed over him as a relentless tide. He often couldn't make out the words, but each night the oceans of her words rose and fell in volume. He had thought he heard "sister," "rukongai," and even the phrase "I wish the cherry blossoms would bloom."

She looked peaceful when asleep, the dark raven hair falling across her cheek and long, dark lashes that curled against her ivory face. She was the kind of girl who he would have liked to sketch, a fragile porcelain doll in contrast with such ugly surroundings. In the morning, her eyelids would flutter, revealing vivid iridescent violet. Rengi often wondered what she would look like with those eyes defeated, worn out, faded like his own.

The hooded person came again, slight in structure, but whether it was a boy or girl neither of them could tell. As always, he or she brought in breakfast, the long robes the colour of bone concealing the face. Breakfast was, as usual, a very meager portion of overcooked rice, and watery, salty soup. The figure placed two trays with identical food and two spoons and quickly left the room, robes crinkling together in a revolting, dry sound.

Hanabi glanced over at Rengi and saw him watching her. She placed her food on his tray and pushed it towards him. "Go on, eat. I'm not hungry so you can have mine," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. She did however, take the spoon. Hanabi tested it against the hard cement floor. "Maybe I'll dig myself out of this place," she said.

_Kuchiki Manor_

The elders prepared for their trip into the world of the living, gathering gigais. They were going to leave today, deciding to check up on their plans in the real world.

"We should take some servants with us. We still are nobility, after all." The head elder nodded and said, "We'll take the weakest ones." Kazuki kneeled by the door, listening in, as he had done for the past week. Hearing this, his mind raced and he quickly stood up again, grabbed his broom, and continued sweeping. It wasn't long before a few of the elders, four to be exact, came out of the room and spotted him. They exchanged glances and a few words that were too softly spoken to be made out.

"Kazuki, how would you like go to the world of the living with us?" one of the elders asked. Kazuki pretended to look surprised-"That would be an honor, Kuchiki-sama," he dutifully replied. He hoped his acting wasn't too bad.

The elder nodded. "Then we'll arrange a gigai for you. Today is just a short mission, but we'll be going back to the real world on March 28th, too. Prepare yourself, you're going to help make the world of the living a better place."

By killing someone there, Kazuki silently added to himself.

_Karakura Town (underground prison)_

How many days has it been? Hanabi wondered to herself. How many days until the execution? Had they caught Byakkuya yet? She continued scraping the spoon against the floor. "I'm not giving up," she said aloud, trying to convince Rengi and also, herself. Yachiru the parrot had not visited; but another plan had begun to nag at Hanabi. The scraping of metal on cement was harsh and loud, but after about half an hour of continuous work, the first part of her escape plan had been completed. The spoon was now grinded to a slightly sharp point. I have a weapon, she thought grimly.

_Grand building (unknown location)_

Byakkuya opened his eyes to a bland white wall.

He found himself bound from head to toe in harsh, rough, wire-like rope. The gag was gone, though, thankfully. His mind raced, and he thought of Hanabi. Where was she? And what was going on? Footsteps echoed eerily in the space, getting louder and louder. Byakkuya tensed. A man walked into the room, and it was Ichijo. "Where's Hanabi?" Byakkuya asked, the ropes around him tight and uncomfortable.

Ichijo didn't respond, but his dark brown eyes looked cold, empty of their usual warmth. "I feel sorry for you," he said. "You'll never get to tell her you love her."

Byakkuya was momentarily speechless.

Ichijo grabbed the ropes around him and forced Byakkuya to stand up. "Change of plans. You're not going to get executed in public, sorry. Instead I'll execute you myself, and your girlfriend will be next."

Byakkuya didn't know what was going on, but his mind was frantic. The ropes were so tight- he couldn't move, but was dragged along helplessly by Ichijo. They descended some stairs, the air growing colder.

_Karakura Town_

Kazuki barely managed to keep his balance as the senkaimon opened up and they stepped out into Karakura town. The elders glanced at Kazuki and whispered among themselves.

"Yes, one servant is enough. We'll tell him to wait outside…"

Kazuki was gazing at the blue sky and the buildings of the town when one of the elders barked at him. "Stay where you are, and once we've finished our… business… we'll come back. Understand?"

"Yes, Kuchiki-sama."

The elders quickly left, huddled together and arguing in hushed tones, making their way towards a high building in the middle of the wall in Karakura town.

"We informed him of our visit, he should have called off the guards…"

Kazuki glanced around, and deciding in a moment, walked slowly after the elders, following them, trying to blend in with the shadows as he worked to discover what exactly the Kuchiki clan was up to.

_Grand building, underground prison_

Ichijo stopped suddenly. "Damn it."

Byakkuya tried to see around him. But before he could get so much as a glimpse, Ichijo whipped around and pulled out a long, pale blade. Byakkuya swayed on his feet, limbs immobilized by the rope. "Oh well, I'm going to have to kill you now," said Ichijo, his normally kind voice laced with steel and anger.

"No!" Byakkuya tried desperately to free himself of the ropes, but they were too painful, too tight, death too near. "Byakkuya..?" A soft voice asked, but filled with fear. A small flower of apprehension began to bloom in Hanabi's stomach. It was too dark to make out much, just a silhouette frozen midway on the stairs.

The blade came closer, ever closer, and time seemed to slow down, like air had turned into corn syrup. Footsteps resounded dimly in the distance.

_Squawk!_

The room was suddenly lit up by lamps. Yachiru the parrot gripped Ichijo's blade in her strong talons. Kazuki gasped as he hid behind a wall, hoping he wasn't visible. The girl in the prison cell looked exactly like Lady Hisana. And the boy tied up in ropes looked exactly like Lord Byakuya. "Good birdy," one of the elders crooned as the parrot landed on his arm. He turned his angry gaze to Ichijo. "What is the meaning of this? Good thing we arrived on time! We told you specifically not to kill him until—"

"Shut up," Ichijo interjected, his gaze cold and stone-like. "I don't work for you anymore."

"WHAT!" The elder looked thunderous.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on!" Hanabi burst out.

Kazuki couldn't take it any longer. He promptly stepped out of his hiding place and yelled, "Lady Hisana! Lord Byakuya! Run while you can!" The Kuchiki elder saw Kazuki and his face was a traffic light, where it flushed angry red, went pale yellow and finally a sickening shade of green. He grabbed Ichijo's knife from Yachiru and threw it at Kazuki. But before it could travel as much as 5 centimeters- _Squawk! _

Yachiru picked up the knife in midflight and circled over their heads, cackling loudly. She dropped the knife back in Ichijo's hand and picked up the keys hanging by the doorway, and managed to unlock the lion's cell. The door swung open with a dusty creak. "Go kitty!" The parrot shrieked happily. The lion prowled out. The 4 Kuchiki elders backed away, faces immobilized in fear, while Ichijo stood where he was, calmly. The lion padded over to Byakkuya and bit the ropes around him, and dragged him away, making a beeline for the stairs to escape. "Oh no you don't!" yelled the elders in unison, running after them. "Aagh," said Byakkuya as he was dragged away once again.

Kazuki grabbed the keys and as quickly as he could he unlocked Hanabi's and Rengi's cells, his fingers stiff and fumbling with fear. "Run!" He exclaimed. "What did you call me…?" Hanabi asked, staring at him. "Lady Hisana," Kazuki answered. "And the boy tied up, Lord Byakuya."

Hisana. Byakuya. All her hazy dreams seemed to make sense now, just with the recovery of those two words. Hanabi quickly ran after the lion, the spoon still tightly clenched in her hand. Its presence was slightly comforting. Ichijo stalked over and grabbed Rengi by the shirt. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," he spat. Rengi looked calmly back at him.

Yachiru squawked nosily.

"Damn it," said Ichijo again. He pushed Rengi roughly to the floor and ran.

**...**

The images flew by in a blur of colour—Byakkuya was completely lost, as he dangled from the lion's jaws. Lady Hisana? Lord Byakuya? Those names were hauntingly familiar. His head hurt. In fact, his whole body hurt. He was so terribly tired. Tired of thinking, breathing…living. He closed his eyes.

"Byakkuya!" Hanabi's voice jolted him awake. He could see her now, running after him, wearing an expensive looking kimono, but with her hair messy and a look of anxiety and fear on her face. Still, there was no other person he would rather see. The old men had lagged behind, out of breath and panting but with murderous looks on their faces. The lion halted. It seemed confused, panting slightly, its big tongue lolling in the mouth. There were two doors ahead of them. "Go right," a voice said, unmistakeably Ichijo, who had caught up. The blade gleamed in his hands as he smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>I know sucky ending :) Stay tuned!<strong>

**...review?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Noo! My story is on the SECOND PAGE! I'm sooo sorry! It's been a while... but you know... the usual excuse... studying, homework, falling asleep in class, staying up till 1 am... yeah. Hope I have more time to write because I really need to write some stories and luckily tomorrow is a day off! This story is ABOUT three quarters done i believe...**

**Arigatou gonzaimasu and a banana to _Splitheart1120, ZoZo1770, TheCatWithTheHat, _for reviewing and following,_ and Keiko the Fox (_for putting this on Story Alert)**

**Yup that's all I have to say, please reaad + hope you enjoy! **

* * *

><p>Mirrors…. Everywhere.<p>

Hanabi could see herself reflected in every one of them, a pale ghost staring back at her.

"Curse this gigai!" One of the elders spoke angrily. "And where are we?"

"We should retreat," said another wheezy voice. "Try again some other day…"

"You cowards," said Ichijo in a quiet voice. "I knew it was the right decision when I left your… gang. This place is under my control now… I can easily, say, dispose of all of you."

"No…no," spoke one of the elders, who seemed to be the leader. He had a scraggly white beard on his chin.

"We'll still get what we came here for-"

Without any warning, Ichijo lunged, and grabbed the elder, attempting to plunge the knife deep into his chest. They both fell on the cold cement floor, crimson rivers streaming on the floor.

The other three elders each immediately pulled out a glove with a strange skull like design on them, and punched themselves on the head. Hanabi gaped as their bodies, seemingly lifeless, fell to the floor with a sickening thud.

She gasped as she felt a pressure, heavy and dark and smothering, nearly push her to her knees. "I can see ghosts, you know," hissed Ichijo, his knife dirty with blood and a long cut on his cheek.

Hanabi ran over to the lion, it was growling softly, but otherwise immobile, Byakkuya still dangling from its jaws, his face white as bone.

She quickly pulled him out of the lion's jaws; it didn't seem to mind, only stared at her as a hunter might stare as its prey. Hanabi pulled out the sharpened spoon and set to work cutting the thick ropes, as he sat up.

"Are you okay?" Byakkuya asked her, his deep grey eyes worried.

"I-I'm fine… more importantly, are you?"

"Never been better," he replied, studying her face.

Hanabi blushed slightly at the intensity of his gaze and focused on cutting through the ropes that bound him.

A searing sound; sharp as glass, resounded nearby. Then shattering… the clear sound of shards of glass falling and clattering.

The mirrors everywhere, they were all breaking, shattering, being reduced to sharp pieces of reflective material. Hanabi stared at shards falling, saw her own pale, frightened face staring back at her, eyes too bright… and a looming shadow behind her. As quickly as she could she ripped through the ropes, and screamed at Byakkuya,

"_Run!"_

She was too late.

Byakkuya turned around and shifted at the last second, Ichijo's blade missed his neck and plunged into his arm.

Hanabi opened her mouth in a silent scream.

Ichijo seemed to be frozen, perhaps held down by invisible forces, or ghosts, or the Kuchiki elders.

"LET GO!" Ichijo was yelling, struggling, his limbs flailing wildly. The whole scene was so bizarre; Hanabi couldn't move in the shock.

Byakkuya's handsome features were marred from pain, as Ichijo struggled, the knife twisted deeper and deeper into his arm.

Hanabi saw this, as the perfect chance to do it, kill the murderer once and for all. But… did he really deserve to die? She didn't even know what was going on.

She ran, grabbed Ichijo's hand forcefully and with panic, and yanked it upwards. Blood splashed out, staining her cheek, and she felt a mixture of nausea, dizziness, and revulsion.

"Run, Hanabi," Byakkuya whispered, his voice strained.

"No, I won't leave you here," she said, her voice surprisingly calm.

"But—"

"No."

The elders were arguing, and only themselves and Ichijo could hear. "We have to get back into our gigais," one of them was saying. "The plan was kill them both, put her soul in the nastiest place possible, and follow his soul until he can become the next head, and the Kuchiki Clan will go back to being the way it was before!"

"Exactly! The execution was supposed to kill him! But _he _went and ruined everything!" They all glared at Ichijo.

"Well, we'll just kill them now, including _him,_" the leader whispered, making sure Ichijo wouldn't overhear-

"What! We didn't come here prepared for a fight! We don't have any weapons, and I won't soil my clothes with filthy commoner blood!"

"Idiots! Just steal his knife, before-"

Ichijo violently twisted around, and finally managed to throw off the invisible forces holding him. He stabbed his knife angrily and with no control into someone else, and more red painted the floor.

"Retreat!"

"_Retreat!"_

Ichijo turned to face…

Rengi, who had come running in, his feet crushing broken glass, with Yachiru perched on his shoulder. "This is all your fault, _Ichigo_!" Rengi yelled with rage.

"What did.. .you just call me?"

They both suddenly stopped, confused.

"Byakkuya, we have to go," whispered Hanabi urgently. "I-I can't," he whispered back, his voice choked with pain. "It hurts… go without me…there's no way I'm letting you die for me…"

Hanabi's eyes softened, wet with unshed tears. "There's no way I'm leaving you," she answered, her voice trembling like a leaf in a strong wind.

"No, Hanabi, you don't get it, I—"

A bright light lit up the room. Strange doors appeared in midair and opened, revealing pure white light. Black butterflies dark as night with bright pink patterns on them fluttered out. Byakkuya stopped in midsentence and stood frozen, staring at it. Dusty memories stirred in his mind, rustling like feathers over glass.

Rengi and Ichijo stopped, too.

They were broken out of their trance when the lion, shaking reflective shards from his coat, charged and ran into the door of pure white light.

The bodies of the Kuchiki elders were lifted up, seemed to be floating in midair, and they too disappeared into the bright, blinding light.

"That's home," mumbled Rengi, staring longingly at it.

"It seems so familiar…" whispered Byakkuya, his eyes fixed and frozen.

Hanabi began to panic. So many, too many things were happening at once that she didn't understand.

Yachiru the parrot followed, flying, squawking loudly, and the doors slid shut, and melted into thin air soon after.

Kazuki hid in the shadows, watching everything. He had followed Rengi and quickly hid. He was too scared…what were the Kuchiki elders doing? How had the noble Kuchiki clan become so corrupt? He didn't know how to open a senkaimon! How was he going to get back?

Hanabi lifted Byakkuya up, bridal style, and ran.

That seemed to be a signal to Rengi; he tackled Ichijo, and the knife clattered to floor, glinting evilly.

"Hey, Byakkuya, are you going to kill her or what? There's no need to pretend anymore…" Ichijo called out to the two retreating figures. "Forget about the Kuchiki elders, remember the plan you and I came up with? That we would do whatever we want, kill anyone who reminded us of our past lives?"

"That's why when I found her I brought her to you!"

"Oh, if it's about the arm… I'm sorry I had to stab you, but it was all part of the act! It easily fooled everyone!"

Hanabi stopped in midstep, staring down at Byakkuya, cradled in her arms…his eyes closed.

Ichijo wasn't anything like the person who had once saved her life… and now he was saying that Byakkuya had been lying to her all along?

Byakkuya opened his eyes, looked at Hanabi calmly. Those grey eyes were cold, emotionless… Hanabi's thoughts raced. _Do I even know you? Were you just pretending all this time?_

She put him back on his feet, suddenly aware of how close they had been.

She fought to stay calm, she longed to scream at him and cry.

Rengi stood up then, and helped Ichijo up with a hand. He spoke to Byakkuya, "Boss, she looks like she's going to cry. Better comfort her…" his voice was teasing.

Byakkuya turned to her-he took a deep breath- and said, as calmly as he could-

"Hanabi, I'm the murderer. I didn't actually kill, I employed these two-" he gestured to Ichijo and Rengi "to kill for me. It was all so you wouldn't suspect me, it was all so I could kill you without getting caught… because you haunt me, you haunt me in my dreams, Hisana."

His voice had the slightest tremble to it; after all, he wasn't a very good actor.

* * *

><p>Fair reader; as you may have already guessed, I have not explained exactly what happened. I skipped over scenes...simply because, me, being me, I did not understand. Humans, humans, humans. They never cease to amaze me. But since I am to retell this story, I will try my best to describe the scene to you. You see, it is hard for me to describe human feelings, and hard for me to understand them, since I am so above them. Let me try. We'll go back in time.<p>

In the next chapter...

For now, I will present you one last scene; Byakkuya, beginning life as a-what do you call it? Fugitive?

* * *

><p>He huddled next to a dying fire, wrapped in too thin clothes. His arm throbbed.<p>

He felt hot and cold all over.

And then he realized he had another enemy, along with Ichijo and Rengi, the police, and now, Hanabi.

Fever.

It was a race...and the prize was his life.

But he'd survive, and he'd find a way to be with her again.

A little while later, as he fell into a fitful sleep, he whispered the same thing, over and over again.

Her name, just her name.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading :) Next chapter will be up tomorrow... i mean today... hopefully. Its 12:00 AM so Happy Easter and Goodnight! I mean... good morning? <strong>

**P.S: didn't have time and too sleepy to edit this so please excuse any mistakes :P**

****Review? *hopeful stare*****


	10. Chapter 10

**Oh, it has been so long. OVER HALF A YEAR. I am utterly and completely sorry. I had severe writer's block and I just started writing again. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me! Agh, I am sooo sorry! I will try to update better, more regularly. This is a double update, pleease forgive me! *bows***

**_ZoZo1770: _Thank you sooo much! I am so sorry I didn't update soon! I will try to update sooner, at least once a week! Thank you for everything above and beyond! You've really helped me keep writing! :)  
><strong>

**_Bleached Pikachu: _I love your profile pic... thank you for all your reviews and all the support you've given me! Again, I'm so sorry to not have updated sooner! I'm happy that you understand this story... sort of? Please continue to give me advice! :)  
><strong>

**_Cynthalia Is A Dolphin: _Wow. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much your nice words mean to me. I WILL get your request done! I am really truly sorry for not finishing it sooner. Please put up with me for a little while longer :)  
><strong>

**_TheCatWithTheHat: _I live in Central Mountain Time, or at least I think that's what its called. I live pretty inland... you're lucky, I wanna see the ocean! I'm sorry, I guess I left you hanging. Sigh. Thank you again you are so funny :)  
><strong>

**_Splitheart1120: _Thank you for the reviews and for reading this story! I wonder, will you still think Byakuya is manipulative when you read this chapter? duh duh duhn (dramatic music) Haha, :)  
><strong>

**Wow. On with it!**

* * *

><p>This tale, of course, is far from over. But it is time to rewind. Read carefully.<p>

_Grand building (unknown location)_

"It's a long story," said Ichijo, as he tightened the ropes around Byakkuya and forced him into a sitting position. "Now… where to start…"

He felt a foreboding sense of doom as Ichijo coughed and cleared his throat.

"Once upon a time, I was born. I had the ability to see ghosts. Now, don't interrupt-" he started to pace back and forth.

"I could see the spirits of the dead. I can still see them. I lived in the poor side. My father died when I was young, and my mother used to beat me every day. She was an alcoholic, a smoker, completely worthless and was murdered when I was 15. Not that I was sad. Anyways, a little while after, I met Rengi. He had a hard life, like me. He couldn't see ghosts like I did, but something about him seemed… familiar. Too familiar. Naturally, being the disturbed child I was, I tried to kill him. But-"

"What? Why would you try to kill him?"

Ichijo eyed him thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose you wouldn't understand. You couldn't even kill a mosquito. Now, back to my story. I couldn't kill him. Something, a feeling, maybe a memory was holding me back. Maybe I had been friends with him in another life of something like that. So I decided the next best thing was to follow him around, form a… partnership with him."

"Wait," said Byakkuya, his arms beginning to ache from the tight ropes, "you haven't explained why you're trying to kill Hanabi and I."

"Me?" he laughed, humourless. "_I'm _not the one who's trying to kill you and your girlfriend. Do you know what goes on in this town?"

He went on without waiting for a reply.

"There's no democracy, right? The immigrants from the south took over Karakura and ever since then there's been a monarch, who makes all the decisions. Before I took over this building Karakura Town used to be a bloodbath. The poor side, that is. When I left home with Rengi we were determined to find out why this so called "perfect town" wasn't perfect for us. To make a long story short, we eventually invaded this building and found out the truth.

The truth is… a small, elite group decides who lives or dies. My father found out the truth; they killed him. My mother was deemed unworthy for Karakura and was killed too. You see, whenever someone is deemed dangerous or a threat to the peace, they are killed-" he snapped his fingers, "just like that."

"But… that's fair, isn't it? I agreed with them. That's why I've been allowed to live. I killed Hanabi's parents, who were deemed useless and dangerous, to prove I was on their side."

"But why… Reika?"

"Ah, you catch on fast. There's an exception. If someone finds out or is close to finding out the truth, or finds out who has actually been murdering the people, they will be killed. The police can investigate all they want, they're just pawns in our game."

Byakkuya stared at him. "But that's not fair… that's just cold blooded murder!" He pulled on the ropes, feeling them bite into his skin.

"Not at all. It's preserving the peace, for no wars or fighting. If someone tries to break that peace, they will be eliminated. The people must not know who actually is killing the people, that puts them in fear, so they won't try to break the peace. You know as well as I do that the "murderer" has been around for quite a long time."

Byakkuya remained in a shocked silence. It made sense… but it wasn't right.

"Everyone else is allowed to live because they have weak souls and will continue their lives in submission. The monarch rules without opposition."

"But why-" Byakkuya began, his voice choked.

"Patience! I'm getting to that part. I met the Kuchiki elders, when they were sneaking around your restaurant. They discovered I could see them, and decided I may as well be useful. They gave me a job, or, people to kill. And guess who I was supposed to kill?"

He didn't wait for an answer, again. That seemed to be a habit of his.

"Hanabi….. And _you. _Want to know why? Well, I don't really know. I don't really understand. They kept babbling about reincarnation and getting revenge and getting you to be their leader in Soul Society or something."

"What's-"

"Sorry, that's a story for another time. Anyways, they wanted an elaborate scheme, where I would frame you, and when they killed Hanabi, you would be accused, and you would die by execution, so that no one would suspect me, or them. But their way of doing things wasn't to my liking, so I quit working for them. Now I'd like to mess up their plans. And this—" he broke off, staring right at Byakkuya, "is what I need you to do."

Ichijo told him, slowly and clearly, to_ pretend_ to be the murderer. He explained in length the plan that he and Rengi had come up with, what exactly would take place in the prison and the room of mirrors, and what they would do to make their act believable. Afterwards, Byakkuya would leave Karakura Town.

"What makes you think I'm going to go through with this?" asked Byakkuya, trying to keep his voice level and calm.

Ichijo smiled, and his eyes gleamed coldly in the dim light.

"You'll do it," he stated. "You'll do it for her. Hanabi."

Byakkuya stayed silent, staring straight ahead. Ichijo laughed.

"The monarch and his elite group are still here. They're just tied up and out of the way. But they know the plan. The police already are convinced you're the murderer, and the execution will take place without a doubt. So here are your options.

Refuse to do what I say, and Hanabi will die, killed by the Kuchiki elders, and you'll die by execution.

Do what I say, and I promise I won't let Hanabi get hurt. I'll protect her. And you'll leave this place, and I promise you won't get caught. You'll forge a new life in another town."

Byakkuya went quiet, his grey eyes troubled and cloudy. Finally, he asked, his voice very soft, "How can I be sure you won't let her get hurt?"

"I'm not one to brag, but I'm a pretty good bodyguard. After all, the only thing I was ever good at was killing. And, I can see the Kuchiki elders, unlike you, so I can protect her. Besides, I'm trustworthy, I keep my word."

Byakkuya seriously doubted that—but it was a chance he was willing to take if it meant she would be safe.

"So what will it be, pretty boy?"

"One last question."

"Yes?"

"Why are you doing this?"

Ichijo smiled, and like his laugh, it was completely humourless. "I'm just being nice," he said. When Byakkuya gave him a skeptical look, he said, "I see you don't believe me. Smart. But I won't tell you the real reason yet. I've told Rengi to tell Hanabi that I'm the murderer. When you tell her you're actually the murderer, she'll be crushed, she'll hate you, but she won't get hurt. Are you okay with that?"

It was just a word, but just a word would change everything.

"Yes."


	11. Chapter 11

_Hisana quickened her pace, the rain falling harder. Soon she could barely see in front of her, and everything was silver and grey, the only sound being the raindrops hitting the ground. Far away, a dog barked, and the hard earth of Rukongai was yielding, becoming muddy. It was so unusual for the 78__th__ district to get so much rain. She sighed as she became drenched. If only I had an umbrella, she thought._

"_Hisana!" A voice called out to her._

_A boy, appearing to be in his mid-teens, ran towards her, his features blurred out by the falling rain. He reached her, and the rain stopped._

_He held an umbrella over her, his expression worried. Their eyes met, flecks of light in her eyes like stars in the sky as she looked at him, happy and innocent and somehow the only person in the world._

_Byakuya realized he was staring at her, and, with some difficulty, stopped. "I thought you looked like you needed help," he told her._

_She smiled, and he smiled back._

_**...**  
><em>

Hanabi woke up, and for a short time, she couldn't remember where she was. Then, as the morning light filtered in through the small window, it all came rushing back; the pain, the sorrow, everything. Her head ached, the memories of her life and the memories from another life becoming confused and muddled. It had come, slowly, at first, but with more intensity now. Memories- meeting him, laughing, smiling, loving. She didn't remember everything, more like bits and pieces, and she felt as if she was seeing someone else's life, not her own. Never her own.

Time had passed since he disappeared. Since the day in the room of mirrors, she had never seen him again. Ichijo and Rengi had finally explained to her what was going on.

"We want you to become the next monarch of Karakura," Ichijo had said. "A queen. You would do well."

A queen. A ruler. She would be one. Why not? Queens should be iron; cold, calculating, emotionless. Iron. Strong enough to block out memories, and feelings, cold enough to have a heart of ice. She would leave her old self behind. She would have nothing to say to him. If he ever came back.

_The outskirts of Karakura Town_

The mushrooms were pale white, growing in clumps by trees. Kazuki knelt and examined them, wondering if they were safe to eat. Footsteps resounded behind him and he looked up to see Byakkuya. He was pale, with dark shadows under his eyes. He seemed to be alright, however. The fever had taken its toll- Kazuki was more worried about the mental state. He had decided to follow Byakkuya, and help him get back to Hisana, or, Hanabi, as she was now called.

"She hates me now," Byakkuya had said, when Kazuki told him this. His voice had been tired and empty, flat.

"How do you know that?" Kazuki had asked, refusing to give up. "She was your wife!" Byakkuya had stayed silent as Kazuki explained to him the whole marriage scandal and his past life as Byakuya Kuchiki.

Now, Kazuki wasn't sure if Byakkuya believed him or not. But every night since, Byakkuya would wake up and stare off into the star filled night sky, repeating her name, over, and over again, as if that one word was his whole world. And maybe it was. A part of him would never let her go, Kazuki knew. And that was why he would make sure they would meet again. Byakkuya needed to be with her.

**...**

_Hisana entered the tea shop, looking around frantically. He wasn't here. He wasn't anywhere. Beginning to panick, she searched. It wasn't until the sun was setting that she finally found him, huddled in a room at the Fourth Squad Barracks._

"_Byakuya-sama?"_

_He didn't turn. Suddenly, he walked over to the window and hit it, as hard as he could. The glass shattered, sharp, jagged pieces of glass reflecting light and falling to the ground. Blood flowed over his hands, and Hisana ran to him._

"_Byakuya-sama… what are you—"_

_He prepared to punch the window again. She caught his arm and stopped him. He didn't look at her. Thankfully, there was a first aid kit in the room, and she bandaged his hand as best as she could, gentle in her work. She was going to let go when she felt his fingers wrap around hers. "Hisana," he said, and finally looked at her. His expression, normally guarded, was completely vulnerable. He looked like he was drowning, and tears flowed down his cheeks, freely, his eyes so full of pain and suffering that Hisana wanted to look away, but couldn't._

"_My father," was all he had to say._

_She reached out and pulled him close, wishing that it had been her, not Byakuya. Not ever. He didn't deserve any sadness at all. If one of them had to have scars in the heart, it should be her. But she couldn't change it, and she held him like he was going to disappear at any moment._

_They stayed like that for a long, long time, the only two people in the world._

_**...**  
><em>

Hanabi didn't have an official coronation, and nothing close to it. She was simply a queen one day. The monarch that had preceded her was gone, and she did not know where. The elite group had been replaced by Ichijo and Rengi.

Even more time passed. She learned to become iron, and the dreams came less and less frequently. But he was always there, in her mind, smiling, laughing, teaching her how to cook, a million emotions so carefully guarded in his eyes. And, she couldn't help hoping that they would meet again, even if it was as enemies.

That was why she was completely unprepared when she was told Karakura would have to have a king.

And that king she would have to marry wasn't going to be Byakkuya, not by a long shot.

* * *

><p><strong>Climax approaching! woo, finally. There's probably some errors in the writing, i didn't edit too thoroughly. Hope you enjoyed it.<strong>

**Review?**

**Even though I didn't update for such a long time... *extra hopeful stare***


End file.
